A young striker from
Northern Ireland, Phil Gray made an impact when he first
got into the first team, but failed to oust big name
strikers and moved on to a long career elsewhere.

A little on the short side
for a striker, Phil had an aggressive approach to the
game, but not a nasty one, making defenders hurry their
clearances by closing them down quickly and challenging
for every ball in the air.

Gray had come up through
the youth system and had scored lots of goals, so when
he made the first team, he was perhaps a little young
and found it hard to adapt. His first game came
when the first team rested a significant number of
players just before the 1987 FA Cup final, losing 0-1 to
Everton at Goodison Park.

Always giving a lot of
effort to the performances he made, but regular injuries
did not help his cause in getting a regular first team
spot, leaving him to go out on loan to Barnsley and
Fulham to get some first team experience, but got only
three games at each club.

Seemed set to get a break
towards the end of the 1990-91 season, but the new
signing of striker John Hendry pushed him out of
contention and that summer Phil moved on to Luton Town.
Had a successful time at Kenilworth Road, leading to him
getting his first Northern Ireland cap, but injuries hit
again and he was bought by Sunderland, where he enjoyed
a good reputation with the crowd, as his whole-hearted
performances won their favour.

Went abroad next to
France with Nancy and Holland with Fortuna Sittard, but
returned to Luton in 1997, but didn't settle anywhere
for very long, joining Burnley and Oxford United, before
going on loan to Boston United and then dropping into
non-league with Chelmsford City, Stevenage Borough on
loan, Maidenhead and then playing for his local
Hertfordshire side Stotfold.